Annie Griffin
Encyclopedia
Annie Griffin is an American writer and director.
Griffin relocated to the UK in 1981. In the early 1990s she worked creating animated idents
for MTV
. In 1993 she worked as an actress on the Oscar nominated short animated film The Village. Through the 90's she worked on a number of short works including the Seven Sins:Wrath which featured Paul Kaye
and David Walliams
.
In 1999 she directed her first TV series Coming Soon about the events leading up to a theatre troupe's opening night. This starred among others Julia Davis
, David Walliams, Billy Boyd and herself and won a BAFTA
Scotland award for best television production.
Her biggest success was the Channel 4
situation comedy The Book Group
which ran for two series in 2002 and 2003, which detailed the events of a disparate group of Glaswegians who meet ostensibly to discuss books but is more to do with the trials and tribulations of relationships in modern urban life.
In 2005 she wrote and directed her first feature film
, the BAFTA Award nominated Festival which starred Daniela Nardini
and Chris O'Dowd
. Set at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this, like her previous works, explores the interrelationships between a group of characters who often have little in common.
Griffin has of late turned her attention eastwards, writing and directing the drama New Town, based in Edinburgh. It first aired on Saturday 14 February 2009 on BBC Four
and was expected to run for six episodes. The BBC
chose not to pick it up for a full run, but the first episode did win a BAFTA Scotland Award for Best TV Drama, while Daniela Nardini won Best Female TV Actor for her performance.
In 2011, Griffin directed two episodes of Channel 4 comedy drama
series Fresh Meat.
Griffin relocated to the UK in 1981. In the early 1990s she worked creating animated idents
Station identification
Station identification is the practice of radio or television stations or networks identifying themselves on air, typically by means of a call sign or brand name...
for MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. In 1993 she worked as an actress on the Oscar nominated short animated film The Village. Through the 90's she worked on a number of short works including the Seven Sins:Wrath which featured Paul Kaye
Paul Kaye
Paul Kaye is an English comedian and actor. He achieved notoriety in 1995 portraying the character of Dennis Pennis, a shock interviewer on The Sunday Show...
and David Walliams
David Walliams
David Edward Walliams is an English comedian, writer and actor, known for his partnership with Matt Lucas on the TV sketch show Little Britain and its predecessor Rock Profile...
.
In 1999 she directed her first TV series Coming Soon about the events leading up to a theatre troupe's opening night. This starred among others Julia Davis
Julia Davis
Julia Davis is an English comedy writer and performer, best known for writing and starring in the BBC Three comedy Nighty Night.-Background:...
, David Walliams, Billy Boyd and herself and won a BAFTA
British Academy of Film and Television Arts
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:...
Scotland award for best television production.
Her biggest success was the Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
situation comedy The Book Group
The Book Group
The Book Group is a comedy drama that aired on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom between 2002 and 2003, and ran for two series. It was written and directed by the American-born Glasgow resident Annie Griffin, who also wrote and directed Festival...
which ran for two series in 2002 and 2003, which detailed the events of a disparate group of Glaswegians who meet ostensibly to discuss books but is more to do with the trials and tribulations of relationships in modern urban life.
In 2005 she wrote and directed her first feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
, the BAFTA Award nominated Festival which starred Daniela Nardini
Daniela Nardini
Daniela Nardini is a Scottish actress of Italian ancestry, best known for playing Anna Forbes in the BBC Two television series This Life. The role earned her a BAFTA Best Actress award in 1998 and also earned her a Scottish BAFTA...
and Chris O'Dowd
Chris O'Dowd
Chris O'Dowd is an Irish comedian and actor. He is best known for playing Roy Trenneman in British sitcom The IT Crowd...
. Set at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this, like her previous works, explores the interrelationships between a group of characters who often have little in common.
Griffin has of late turned her attention eastwards, writing and directing the drama New Town, based in Edinburgh. It first aired on Saturday 14 February 2009 on BBC Four
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
and was expected to run for six episodes. The BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
chose not to pick it up for a full run, but the first episode did win a BAFTA Scotland Award for Best TV Drama, while Daniela Nardini won Best Female TV Actor for her performance.
In 2011, Griffin directed two episodes of Channel 4 comedy drama
Comedy-drama
Comedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy...
series Fresh Meat.